January 17, 2013 - Geneva College
Geneva College Logo
View More Stories

January 17, 2013

Picture of January 17, 2013

Geneva College student Katharine Hogan, who was struck by a car while crossing Route 18 on December 7, 2012, has returned home after spending nearly six weeks in either the hospital or a rehabilitation facility. She has been recovering fromKatie.jpg a serious head injury and some broken bones caused by the accident.

Although Katie′s recovery will continue for some time, her family shares that her healing has been miraculous and she has reached many important milestones.

In the time since her accident, members of the Geneva community have been offering their continued prayers and support to Katie and the rest of the Hogan family. Katie′s mother, Tammy, has requested that the college share the following message of appreciation with the entire Geneva community:

It has been five and a half weeks since Katie was hit by a car while crossing Route 18. It is hard to believe that it has only been 40 days, especially when I look at Katie now. For those people who saw her that first week, I think you would be quite surprised to see her now. It is even more amazing to hold a conversation with her. Our God is amazing and his mercies are new every morning!

I will never be able to adequately express my gratitude to all of you, our Geneva family. You have loved us with the extravagant love of the Lord. To the students who gathered that first night for a prayer vigil on campus, thank you. To those students who followed the ambulance to Allegheny General and spent the night in the waiting room praying, thank you. To those students who stayed all those many nights in the ICU waiting room when I went back to the hotel room to sleep a little bit, you all were my sentinels, and I thank you. To those students who spent their finals week at the hospital, praying and supporting us, thank you (I hope the Geneva faculty members were gracious to you on your finals). To those faculty, staff and administration members who came and visited us, thank you. To all of those who brought food to us in the hospital, thank you. To all of those who sent us cards of encouragement, thank you. To those who gave sacrificially to help us, thank you. To Katie's roommates and friends who packed up all of her belongings for us, thank you. To all of you have enlisted your home churches to pray for Katie, thank you. There are a few special people that I will forever be grateful to. First, thank you dear Debbie Michalik for cooking my family Christmas dinner. I will never be able to thank you and your family for coming to the hospital and bringing us such an incredible feast. You were the love of Christ to us. I saw Emmanuel - God with us on Christmas day when you walked into the hospital. Finally, I will never be able to thank Becky Phillips and her family for the extravagant love and support that she gave to each of us. Becky was there, no matter what we faced, no matter what we needed...she was there. It would be impossible to tell of all the ways that she was there for us...but when I think back over that time, I see her face and I know that she was God's love and support for us during a very difficult journey through that valley.

When I think of our time in Allegheny Hospital, I see many different faces that were God's love in action as described in Romans 12: 9 -15: "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep you spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."

Thank you for mourning with us during those hard times, and now I ask you all to rejoice with us as we rejoice over the amazing healing that God has done and is continuing to do in Katie! Praise God!

Geneva College is a comprehensive Christian college of the arts, sciences and professional studies. Founded in the tradition of the Reformed Christian faith, Geneva prepares students to serve Christ in all areas of society: work, family and the church. Geneva College′s philosophy of education is based on the Foundational Concepts of Christian Higher Education. Geneva is a founding member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU).

Jan 17, 2013